Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a spending package needed to keep the government open past a Friday midnight deadline, even as they continued negotiating with President Trump on a deal that could avert a shutdown and lead to new restrictions on his immigration crackdown.
With no agreement yet nailed down, Democrats followed through on their pledge to oppose the six-bill spending package, which includes $64.4 billion for the Department of Homeland Security as well as an array of government agencies, including the Pentagon and health programs.
After Alex Pretti over the weekend became the second American citizen to be fatally shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis, Democrats have demanded that the homeland security measure be separated from the package and held up while they attempt to strike a deal with Mr. Trump and Republicans to rein in immigration officers.
But for now, the entire package is stalled after it failed, on a vote of 45 to 55, to draw the 60 votes needed to open debate. Absent a breakthrough, government funding is slated to lapse starting on Saturday morning. Every Democrat opposed moving forward, as did a handful of Republicans, citing various spending objections.
“This is a moment of truth,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, said on Thursday, moments before the vote. “Congress must act to rein in ICE and end the violence.”
Mr. Schumer and the president began negotiations late Wednesday to resolve the dispute and head off a government shutdown, according to two officials familiar with the talks who described them on the condition of anonymity.
Under the tentative framework they discussed, the measure funding the security agency would be broken off for more negotiations while the other five bills would be approved, funding the bulk of the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The Department of Homeland Security would then be funded under a separate short-term bill. One sticking point appears to be the length of time for that stopgap bill, which would keep the department funded at current levels. Democrats have pushed for a maximum of two weeks; Republicans apparently want more and Democrats do not want to prolong the negotiations.
“Hopefully we won’t have a shutdown,” Mr. Trump said at a Cabinet meeting at the White House. “We’re working on that right now. I think we’re getting close. The Democrats, I don’t believe want to see it either. So we’ll work in a very bipartisan way, I believe, not to have a shutdown.”
Republican lawmakers also said they were hopeful about avoiding a prolonged shutdown — which would be the second in just a few months — and criticized Democrats’ opposition to the funding package.
“This nation deserves safety and security,” said Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 Senate Republican. “Not another government shutdown.”
The administration’s talks with Democrats began after the lawmakers unveiled a set of demands they would insist on in exchange for voting for homeland security funding. They included banning immigration officers from wearing masks and requiring them to wear body cameras and visible identification, an end to random immigration sweeps, requirements for judicial warrants for stop and searches and requirements for immigration officers to follow the same use-of-force standards as community law enforcement.
They also want an independent investigation of the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
“No more secret police,” Mr. Schumer said. “The Republican majority must step up to the plate. Republicans in Congress cannot allow this violent status quo to continue. They must work with Democrats on legislation — real legislation.”
Luke Broadwater contributed reporting.
Carl Hulse is the chief Washington correspondent for The Times, primarily writing about Congress and national political races and issues. He has nearly four decades of experience reporting in the nation’s capital.
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